Penguins drop two-goal lead, lose to Rangers in shootout

by FrankD on Oct 25, 2008 9:59 PM EDT in Game Recaps Comment 4 comments

Fleury_gomez_medium

Can you even blame Fleury?

For the Rangers' take, check out Beyond the Blueshirts or NY Rangers blog.

15 seconds...the puck makes it to the neutral zone.

10 seconds... it lands on Zherdev's stick.

Eight seconds...it rockets past Fleury.

Rangers win in the shootout.

I get it. The Penguins will either come back from behind to win like they did the other night against the Hurricanes, or they will give up the lead like they did last week to the Capitals.

Tonight was a Capitals game.

One goal in the first. One goal in the second. The Rangers couldn't get through Fleury. It all looked so promising.

And then it all went to hell.

The Penguins, who were up until the third period staying on pace with the Rangers' shots, decided they were going to slack off and let the Rangers take control. New York out-shot Pitt 18-2 in the third.

Sadly, Marc-Andre Fleury looked amazing in net the entire game. Yet it was much like the Devils' comeback on October 12th - if you give them enough chances they're going to take it.

Well the Rangers took those chances. After Lundqvist skated to the bench with less than 30 seconds remaining, all the Penguins had to do was control the puck. Get it into the net or get it deep into the Rangers' zone and control it. Freeze it. Put it into the corners.

They didn't. Rangers scored. We lose. Game over.

The problem: The Pens dropped a two-goal lead.

The side effects: Nausea, heartburn, indigestion, upset stomach, diarrhea

The solution: Pepto Bismol cocktails for all

Next game: Tuesday against the Sharks. 10:30. Don't want to think about it right now.

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Well that was pathetic, I mean a 2-0 lead and to blow it like that, pathetic. What the hell kind of strategy have the Pens come up with, get a 2 point lead, be fine with that and milk and dump our way to a victory. Wrong! This whole passive, defensive plan when you are up by a few is never gonna to work. Heck, when you can score on a guy keep doing it, put up five more if you can. I love hockey cause a game can change in an instant and the Pens have to wake up and realize that it ain’t over when you are up by 2. Maybe they couldn’t score but getting outshot 18-2 in the 3rd in rediculus. Fleury is not to blame and I personally think our D played great, just horrible effort by all in the 3rd and OT. (and shootout). Malkin 0 shots, Crosby made a few mistakes but alsosome good plays but still get a loss last night. On a positive note we got 1 point on the road.

by steelcitykid on Oct 26, 2008 8:55 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

was really hoping to take the positive aspect of the road point, but it’s just really hard to do when the team loses in this kind of fashion. I also would have been more willing to accept it if, say, this was the first time in this very short period of the season that it happened. But it’s not. I really, REALLY hope the Pens snap out of this funk. I really don’t mind if the Pens are going to go to OT and guarantee a point. Hell, it’s much better than losing in regulation. But no team can sustain an entire season like this.

5 – The number of games the Pens have sent to OT or a shootout.
3 – Out of those five, the number of times the Pens have walked away with two points.

Follow the Penguins on SBN @ Pensburgh.com

by FrankD on Oct 26, 2008 11:16 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

What a nut-crusher!!! Now I have to clean my shoes today, as vomit is clearly all over them. In the space and time of 8 seconds the Pens go from getting 2(much-needed) points to giving 2. Barf-city. I agree, this type of game strategy can NOT be sustained with regularity, and be successful. That’s just the way it is. The homers calling the game for the Rangers last nite commented on how the Pens were playing a 4-1 type of defense late in the third. Put 4 guys in the box similar to a power-play and put the forward at the blue line for the easy break-away, and hence, empty netter when the goalie is pulled. At least that’s how it’s supposed to go down. And it worked on a pass to Sid who went for the empty netter and missed just wide, but then the same ole, same ole happened. You HAVE to battle for the puck in the corners!!! I dam near lost my voice screaming-get in the play guys. Even if you don’t come up with it, and control the puck, you’ve taken off those precious seconds from the clock that really needed to be taken off. Instead, the Rangers get control, come down the ice into their own zone virtually without a whiff of any kind of defense by the Pens, which sets up a 1-on-1 with the shooter and the goalie. And he smoked it, top shelf. Game time. And to the flippin’ Rangers no doubt.

by batmanok on Oct 26, 2008 1:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That whole corner thing drove me nuts too. All Dupuis had to do was commit to the puck in the Rangers’ zone with NO goalie in net. Instead he backed off and allowed for the outlet pass. Now I’m not saying it was entirely his fault, but not playing the puck in this case really cost the Pens a point. Very disappointing.

I’m not even kidding when I say this – the game really threw my night off. Took me a good hour or two to shake this one off.

Follow the Penguins on SBN @ Pensburgh.com

by FrankD on Oct 26, 2008 3:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs